Senate Bill S511A

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                   511

                       2011-2012 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                               (PREFILED)

                             January 5, 2011
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen. MAZIARZ -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on  Energy  and  Telecommuni-
  cations

AN  ACT  directing  the  New  York State Energy Research and Development
  Authority to undertake a statewide study of  consumer  behaviors  with
  respect to energy efficiency and clean energy technology programs

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. 1. The New  York  State  Energy  Research  and  Development
Authority  shall  undertake a statewide study of consumer behaviors with
respect to energy efficiency and clean energy technology  programs.  The
authority  may  contract  with an independent and competitively selected
contractor to undertake such study. The authority shall prepare a report
on its findings. On or before July 1, 2012, the authority shall transmit
such report to the governor, the speaker of the assembly, the  temporary
president  of  the  senate,  the  chairman of the assembly environmental
conservation committee, ranking minority member of the assembly environ-
mental conservation committee, the chairman of the senate  environmental
conservation  committee,  ranking minority member of the senate environ-
mental conservation committee,  the  chairman  of  the  assembly  energy
committee, the ranking minority member of the assembly energy committee,
the  chairman of the senate energy and telecommunications committee, the
ranking minority member of  the  senate  energy  and  telecommunications
committee,  the  chairman  of the assembly corporations, authorities and
commissions committee, the  ranking  minority  member  of  the  assembly
corporations, authorities and commissions committee, the chairman of the
senate  corporations, authorities and commissions committee, the ranking
minority member of the senate corporations, authorities and  commissions
committee,  and  the  chairman of the assembly subcommittee on renewable

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD00812-01-1
              

S. 511                              2

energy. The report shall also be made available to the  public  via  the
authority website.
  2.  The  study  shall include, but not be limited to an examination of
the following:
  a. The duration of any behavioral changes with respect to energy effi-
ciency and clean energy practices and services including  a  comparative
examination  of consumers who maintain energy efficiency practices after
participation in energy efficiency and other clean energy  programs  and
consumers  who  do not maintain such practices. In completing this exam-
ination, the authority may  apply  social  science  theories  and  other
applicable  methods  and  mechanisms to better understand, and thus have
energy efficiency and clean energy programs replicate program strategies
that result in sustainable behaviors;
  b. Behavioral change as a tool to improve the effectiveness of  energy
efficiency  programs, including an examination of consumers that partic-
ipate in energy efficiency and other clean energy programs, and  consum-
ers who do not. In completing this examination, the authority may devel-
op  program  strategies  and  recommendations through the application of
insights from the behavioral sciences and/or behavior change  tools  and
strategies  which  can  elicit different consumer motivations that drive
energy-related decisions.   From such examinations,  the  authority  may
make  program recommendations and implement program strategies that will
help to improve program participation and consumer decision-making; and
  c. The impact of  market  prices  and  market  price  fluctuations  on
consumer  choices  and  behavior  and the effect as a response to market
based fluctuations to determine the impact this has on energy  conserva-
tion efforts.
  3.  The authority shall consult with the department of public service,
the power authority of the state of New  York,  the  Long  Island  power
authority  and appropriate gas and electric corporations. The department
of public service, the power authority of the state  of  New  York,  the
Long  Island  power  authority  and  gas and electric corporations shall
cooperate with the authority and its contractor  in  the  completion  of
this study.
  4.  The  commissioner  of the department of environmental conservation
shall provide for the transfer of $1,000,000 of revenues collected under
direct oversight by the department of environmental  conservation,  from
the  auction of any emissions allowances for air contaminants to the New
York State Energy Research and Development Authority for the purposes of
this act.
  S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.